Despite the numerous challenges such as rising cost of raw materials, hampered international logistics, and VAT reform in the EU, China scored a big victory in cross-border e-commerce in 2021.
Since 2020, the stay-at-home orders in many countries have taken a heavy toll on offline retail abroad. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, customers across the globe are more accustomed to online shopping. China's cross-border e-commerce enterprises have seized this opportunity and made rapid progress. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs, China's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports in 2020 were 1.69 trillion yuan, an increase of 31.1 percent year on year. The cross-border e-commerce trade in the first three quarters of 2021 increased by 20.1 percent year on year.